Israel takes concerns about Iran to key partner China

by Sui-Lee Wee, Reuters

Posted on Mar. 16, 2012 at 8:46 am

Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman (center) looks on as China's Vice President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with an Israeli official at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on March 16. Photo by REUTERS/China Daily

Israel on Friday took its concern about Iran’s nuclear programme to one of Iran’s main partners, China, and hinted it could launch a preemptive attack on the Islamic Republic despite repeated calls by China to allow diplomacy to take its course.

China, which has close energy and trade ties with Iran, has urged a negotiated solution to the dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions and long opposed unilateral sanctions on Iran.

Iran insists its nuclear energy programme is purely non-military and has been adamant it will not abandon it under external pressure.

“It’s crucial to clarify our position to China in the hope they understand our concerns, our problems,” he said, adding that Israel would “continue the dialogue” with China.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao warned Iran in January against any effort to acquire nuclear weapons but apart from that, China has shied away from speaking out strongly against Iran.

That position on Iran underscores the tricky path China is trying to steer between pressure from the United States and its allies and, on the other hand, expectations from Iran, which looks to China as a sympathetic power and a big oil customer.

But an increasingly tough-talking Israel is threatening to take military action, with or without U.S. support, if Iran is deemed to be continuing to defy pressure to curb its nuclear projects.

Speculation is growing that Israel could launch some form of strike against Iranian nuclear installations, which Israel sees as a threat to its existence.

“We prefer that the international community will resolve the Iranian issue through talks, P5+1, through some negotiations, sanctions etcetera,” Lieberman said.

“But if not, I think it’s our right to protect ourselves, to defend ourselves,” he added. “As I mentioned, we keep all options on the table.”

The P5+1 group, made up of the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, accepted an offer last week from Iran for new talks on its nuclear energy programme.

Lieberman said Israel was hopeful of “positive progress” at the talks.

But despite Western sanctions inflicting increasing damage on Iran’s oil-based economy, Israel had not seen “readiness from the Iranian side to give up their nuclear ambitions or to stop their enrichment”, he said.

China has also resisted Western efforts to exert pressure on Iran by imposing sanctions on its oil exports, much of which flows to China.

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